Nondrip liquid dispenser



Aug. 16, 1932. c. 1.. BOND 1,871,655

NONDRIP LIQUID DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 FIECHARLES L. BOND, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA nonnnrr LIQUID nisrnnsnnApplication filed September 16, 1929. Serial No. 393,067.

This invention relates to means for dispensing liquids for fillingcontainers or for other purposes, and an object of the invention is toprovide a liquid dispenser by means of which the stream of liquidflowing from the dispenser will not contact with any surface that willhold it in position to be exposed to the air at any time after closing,and

. before reopening, of the valve, and by which means the flowing streamwill be sharply out off at the close of the dispensing operation withoutany dripping or the format-ion of any drop at the outlet of thedispenser.

This invention is applicable to the dispensing of all forms of liquidsbut is more particularly desirable for those forms of liquid having ahigh coeflicient of cohesion and adhesion and commonly known assemi-liquids, such as paint, paste, mayonnaise dressing, molasses, heavyoils and the like.

In this invention I provide a vertical dispensing tube having an openlower end; a sliding plug valve exactly fitting and wholly withdrawableinto the tube, andslidable out and in through the openitube end andbeing provided with a'channel in the upper end of the plug, whichchannel is reduced in width downwardly to a narrow are at one side ofthe plug and one side of the bore of the tube just abovethe lower end ofthe tube when the plug is wholly within the tube, thereby entirelyclosing the lower tube end in readiness to be moved downward to open anoutlet from the lower end of the tube underneath the tube end and belowthe level of the lower end of the plug, upon depression of the plug; avalved pump piston operable in the tube above the plug to force liquiddown to lower the plug to bring the lower end of the channel below thebottom of the tube, and to projecta stream of liquid outwardly anddownwardly aslant beyond and free from the periphery of the plug; saidpump piston being provided at its lower end, with a thin walled tubularnipple having a square cut end, a valve plate having a flat face fittingagainst. the square cut end of the nipple for instantaneous closingagainst the nipple by atmospheric pressure "on cessation of downwardpressure of the pump piston; a valve 'heres to the outside of thedispenser, and

spring arranged to follow up the closing movement of the pump valve tohold such valve in the atmospherically closed position; and spring meansconnected to the valve plug to return such plug into the inside of thetube to close the outlet upon cessation of charm ward pressure on thepump valve, and to avoid exposure to the air of any surface upon whichdeposit of liquid is made during the dispensing operation.

The invention may be applied in various ways and the liquid may be fedto the tube from a supply of any'desirable capacity, and the added orvalve opening pressure may be applied in various ways; and for thepurposes of this description, the tube will be shown provided with afunnel like charging device, and the means for applying pressure uponthe pump valve will be shown as a valved plunger operable by a pistonrod moved by a hand lever. I One of the advantages of this invention isthe rapid dispensing ofhighly adhesive and cohesive liquids, as forinstance, prepared paints, glues, syrups, pastes, mayonnaise dressing,etc. For example in filling paint cans from faucets as heretofore, theprepared paint will continue to flow or drip from, or adhere to, afterthe faucet has been closed, and considerable time must be consumed inwaiting for the stream or drop to cease',to avoid mussing or smearingthe cans or other receptacles being filled successively; so that theattendant finds it necessary to attempt quick changing from a filled toan empty can, with the result that the string of paint from the faucetdribbles over and smears both cans. In filling cream bottles inrestaurants a like dripping occurs, thus delaying the work or causingthe cream to be spread in an undesirable way. By the present device allth s is; avoided and the cut off is perfect and instantaneous, no liquidadthe containers can be changed without any 5 smearing or mussing.

A further advantage is that the attendant can accurately fill acontainer to exactly the depth required, as the out off is complete atthe moment the plunger ceases its descent.

while the handle and plunger are moving down, and just before the out beis effected at the stopping of such down movement; the

cutting off position of thedispensi'ng valve being indicated in brokenlines, and the fully elevated position of the plunger and lever beingshown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section on line w2w7, Fig. 4, ofthe dispensing tube and the interior parts, at the moment after stoppingthe. downward movement of the plunger which'held the dispensing valve inthe dispensing position indicated in broken lines in this view and insolid lines in Fig. 1;

the dispensing valve being shown'in solid lines as returned by the sidesprings to the cut off position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1.

v Fig. 3 is a section on line x3, Figs. 2 and 4.

Fig. 4 is a view looking from the bottom up toward the intake funnel, afragment of which is shown. V

Fig. 5 is a reduced plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

"Fig. 6 is an outside view ofthe tube and retracting spring at rightangles to Fig. 1, the dispenser being closed and the plunger shownrising in dotted lines.

Fig. 7 is a mid-section on line m2a27, Fig. 4, showing the parts inposition discharging the liquid into a container.

The dispensing tube 1 is shown vertical and may be of any appropriatecross-section and length and its lower end may be cut off square asclearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. The plug valve 2 is externallycircularand has a discharge passage open above a terminal lip 3 at thelower end of the plug at the meeting of a slanting floor 4 and asemicylindrical wall 5 arranged opposite to the floor 4 and providedjust above the lip 3 with an orifice 6 adapted to be closed by the tube1 when the plug is entirely inside the tube, and which constitutesalateral nozzle outlet below the end of the tube when the plug isprojected below the end of the tube.

In the form shown, the floor 40f the plug valve is aslant at an angle ofabout fortyfive degrees to the opposite wall 5 and is shown as extendingdownwardly at different angles from a vertical to an angle divergentfrom the floor 4, thus to form a narrowing outlet through passage 6 tothe nozzle outlet 3. 1

springs 9 normally hold the dispensing valve plug retracted within thedispensing tube 1,

" with the yoke 7 stopped by the upper ends of the slots 8. V

The liquidthrusting and valve retracting plunger 14 comprises a cage 15of less diameter than the tube, provided with side openings 16 and withabottom outlet formedby a thin square cut tubular nipple 17 adapted to benormally closed by a poppet valve 18 yieldingly held in closed positionby a spring 19 connecting a central stem 20 of the valve to the'top 21of the cage which is fixed to the'piston rod 22 that may have a limiteddownward movement determined by a stop 23 formed of collar 24 adjustablyfixed on the rod by set screw 25. Said rod extends through a guide 26supported by a cross bar 27 against which the sleeve 24 will contact atthe lower limit of the plunger rod movement, the valve 18 being freefrom contact with the dispensing valve plug 2.

In Fig. 1 the piston rod is shown provided with a fork 28 to support afulcrum 29 of the operating lever 30 which is pivoted at 31 to a link 32that is pivoted at 33 to a stationary support fixed by the bolt 34 andnut 35 tothe cross bar 27 which is fixed by the studs 36 and nuts 37 and.a band 12, to the funnel.

Inpractical operation with the embodiment shown, the liquid will besuppliedto the tube l through the funnel body 11, and will flow to thedispensingvalve 2 when the plunger and dispensing valve are in theposition they are brought to by fully raising the handle of the lever30.

The plunger 14 is provided with an annular gasket 39 surrounding andimmovably fixed to the cage and fitted liquid tight in and slidablefreely alongcinside the tube so that when the plunger 14 is retracted,it produces suction in the space above the dispensing valve, thustending to produce -a vacuum which will be supplied from above, throughdisplacement of the poppetvalve 18, so that if there is liquid in thetube above the level of the gasket 39, suchliquid will flow down throughthe plunger and will fill the nozzle and the cavity of the dispensingvalve 2. and

the tube below the plunger; and if there is liquid in the funnel and theplunger is entirely withdrawn from thetube, the liquid will flow freelyfrom the funnel into the tube so that upon the down thrust of theplunger on the liquid, the valve 2 will be subjected to hydraulicpressure to force the dispensing valve down until the mouth of itsnozzle passes the lower end of the tube, thus allowing the liquid toflow out at one side of the lower end of the tube and into the con.-

tainer 40.

The tube is held against vibration by a collar 13 which is shownprovided with loops 42 to accommodate the springs 9, and is fastened toa support as a standard 43 to which band 12 is connected.

After the retracting movement, the poppet valve is held initially closedby the spring 19 which is stronger than the retracting springs 9 so thatirrespective of any retracting movement of the handle, the springs 9will retract the dispensing valve; and when the lever is raised, thevacuum caused by the poppet valve and resisted by the spring 19 willallow the external air pressure to snap the valve plug shut. V v

The springs 9 arestrong enough to support the valve plug and the staticpressure of the liquid in the tube, but upon the down movement of theplunger the force of the springs 9 is overcome and a resulting downwardmovement of the dispensing valve plug allows the liquid to be dispensedthrough thenozzle as above described.

It is thus seen that at the upward movement of the plunger thedispensing valve plug is closed and remains closed until the plunger isagain returned to and is moved downward in the tube 1 to create apressure upon the tube content to open the valve.

The square cut outlet end of the tube is shown provided with guidenotches 8 to accommodate the ends of the yoke that carries the valveplug which is fixed to the yoke half way up the slanting bottom ofthesaid valve plug from the outlet side of the valve plug; the other sideof whichextends downward below the slanting bottom floor as at 45, thusformin a uide extension corres ondin to D D t) the valve lip or tip3 ofthe valve plug, to

avoid any canting or cramping of the valve lug.

The tube forms stop means for the yoke, to prevent the valve plug frombeing drawn up too far by suction of the plunger; and when the valveplugis stopped from its upward movement the poppet valve instantly relievesthe vacuum above the valve plug.

The piston valve is provided on its under side with a slotted extension47 in which the yoke is fulcrumed by a pin 48 so that the yoke may rocksufficiently to act as an equalizer between the side springs andthevalve plug, thus further to avoid any likelihood of cramping, andfurthermore to act as a stop.

' I claim: q

1. In combination with a tube having a square cut end portion and a wayfor a yoke extending above said square cut portion; a piston valve; ayoke fulcrumed to the piston valve and projecting beyond the walls ofthe tube and side springs connected to the ends of the yoke and to asupport to retract the piston valve.

2. The combination with a tube; of a valve slidable in the tube andhaving at one side and at its lower end an outlet, and fitting thefitting and wholly withdrawable into the tube, and. slidable out and inthrough the open tube end and being provided with a channel in the upperend of the plug, which channelis reduced in width downwardly to a narroware at one side of the plug and one side of the bore of the tube justabove the lower end of the tube when the plug is wholly within the tube,thereby entirely closing the lower tube end in readiness to be moveddownward to open an outlet from the lower end of the tube underneath thetube end and below the level of the lower end of the plug, upondepression of the plug; a valved pump piston operable in the tube abovethe plug to forceliquid down to lower the plug to bring the lower end ofthe channel below the bottom of the tube, and to project a stream ofliquid outwardly and downwardly aslant beyond and free from theperiphery of the plug; said pump piston being provided at its lower endwith a thin walled tubular nipple having a square cut end, a valve platehaving a flat face fitting against the square cut end of the nipple forinstantaneous closing against the nipple by atmospheric pressure oncessation of downward pressure of the pump piston; a

vvalve spring arranged to follow up the closing movement of the pumpvalve to hold such valve in the atmospherically closed position; andspring means connected to the valve plug to return such plug into theinside of the tube to close the outlet upon cessation of downwardpressure on the pump valve, and to avoid exposure to the air of anysurface upon which deposit of liquid is made during the dispensingoperation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 6th day of September, 1929.

' CHARLES L. BOND.

